Solheim Cup golf 2024: USA lead Europe 10-4 during day two fourballs – live

Tim Doyle emails: “Just building on Simon’s earlier very valid message, we (Europe) didn’t just come from 10-6 down at Medinah, we were actually 10-4 down before sneaking the last two fourballs on the final green. So plenty for Suzann to build on tonight, when it comes to motivating the troops, if we can do the same today – which, touch wood, seems likely.” Tim is spot on with his history. The USA also came from 10-6 down in the 2015 Solheim Cup and were motivated by … Suzann Pettersen. Long story. I’ll return to it once the action is over.

Up to the 16th green. Emily Pedersen has 18 feet for birdie. It’s online but it pulls up short. (Back at 15 Vu makes par to halve the hole.) Lexi Thompson has a birdie putt which would cut the European lead to one with two to play. It’s four feet … and it drops.

We’re back in one of those spots on the course with a muted atmosphere. Charley Hull lags up for a par at 15 and we can hear her team mates say, “Well played Charley.” Allisen Corpuz doesn’t threaten the hole with her birdie putt. Can Lilia Vu convert a par breaker? No. And the Americans have a pair of knee knockers for par.

Up ahead Lexi Thompson has hit the best tee shot at the par-3 16th. It’s not quite a gimme but she’s the only one of the four with a valid chance of breaking par.

The final match is back on the 15th fairway. Lilia Vu is aggressive and has 18 feet from just off the green. Georgia Hall finds sand. Allisen Corpuz is in rough through the green. Charley Hull is last to go. Head up, head up, head up. She’s like a busy sparrow. Her approach finds the heart of the green but it’s in lag putt territory.

Ewing/Thompson v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (15)
Corpuz/Vu v Hull/Hall 2UP (14)

The 15th green. Emily Pedersen has 20 feet for birdie and to go two up. Slam dunk, in it goes. Karen Stupples says that Suzann Pettersen had been in her ear. That’s reminiscent of something Pedersen said last year: “Suzann doesn’t need to say anything,” she said. “She gives me the look, nods her head and, I’m like, I got it.” Just now, she got it.

Charley Hull played a nice chip at 14 that gives her a look at birdie. But Corpuz still has that very makeable eagle putt, of course. First, Georgia Hall from 12 feet for birdie and she drains it! Great effort from her. Really gutsy. Now Corpuz for eagle and the hole. A push! It didn’t touch the cup. The hole is halved. Europe leads two up with four to play.

Allisen Corpuz into 14 just now:

Allisen Corpuz this morning on 14:

Allisen Corpuz on 14. This morning she topped her approach to 15 feet and Nelly Korda drained it for eagle. Yesterday she found water here. Been some hole for her. Now she is two down to the Hull-Hall team. She has iron in hand. And it’s the best shot we’ve seen today. 10 feet for eagle. Charley Hull is pumped and has hit a long, long drive. Her approach flies the green – she’s really struggling with all this extra energy when hitting into greens.

The third match is on the 14th green and has become a bit messy. First putts have been raced past the hole and now the nerves are shredding. Emily Pedersen up first from eight feet for birdie – and misses. Now Lexi Thompson for birdie from just inside eight feet for birdie – another miss! Bit of a push, that. Debate over who goes next. It’s Carlota Ciganda on a line very like Pedersen’s – she hits the hole and it pops out. Ally Ewing actually didn’t hit the green in two but her third got her closer than the other three’s putts. She has her putt to drag the match all square. It’s no gimme. Five feet. Yikes. Doesn’t touch the hole. Christmas. Europe still leads one up.

Simon McMahon emails: “Shades of Medinah 2012 if Europe do make it out of today only 10-6 down? And in singles you just never know, although I’ve a feeling we kind of do know already how this will end, but hope I’m wrong …” Spot on Simon. This does have Medinah vibes. That was a miracle, though, right?! They don’t happen too often …

Charley Hull makes her birdie at 13 and waves the putters at the flag as it goes in. A little show of defiance. Hull gets a lot of flak, as well as a lot of support, but she is a resilient and proud force for Europe. Vu responds with her own birdie and the match heads to 14.

Lilia Vu hits the best drive at 13 and she takes advantage. She’ll have about eight feet for birdie. Charley Hull was in the rough and gouged her ball out to about 20 feet – a really fine shot with classic Hull swagger. Georgia Hall and Allisen Corpuz are unlikely to make birdie. The Europeans are two up.

Laura Davies (European vice captain) on the state of the match: “We have to win the last two matches. We’re in serious trouble. They’ve out-putted us. Singles are different, we’ll never say never, but it will be difficult. It’s so crushing when Lexi chips in, then someone else holes out. We need to get these two points home.”

USA 10 Europe 4

A little fightback from Europe. Charley Hull drains a birdie putt at 12 to go two up with Georgia Hall. And Carlota Ciganda makes another long birdie, this time at 13 to go one up with Emily Pedersen. Europe now leads the bottom two matches.

USA 9 Europe 4

The scores on the doors with these fourballs coming to the boil. If Europe lose the top two matches they will need to win 10 of the remaining 14 points to retain the Cup

Lee (Al)/Khang 3UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (14)
Lee (An)/Zhang 5UP v Grant/Boutier (13)
Ewing/Thompson A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (12)
Corpuz/Vu v Hull/Hall 1UP (11)

Meghan Khang dribbles in a birdie at 14. It’s for the hole and it dropped with a final gasp which only added to the drama. She and Alison Lee lead three up with four to play.

Seconds later Rose Zhang plays an approach at the same hole to eight feet. It gets a bit of a lucky bounce. “A lot of jammy shots on this hole this week for the Americans,” says a rueful Karen Stupples.

That sensational Andrea Lee hole out from the bunker in all its glory. A brilliant shot.

Clutch from Lexi Thompson with a birdie from eight feet on 12. Europe has two chances to match it. Emily Pedersen is first up from seven feet and she makes it. The match remains all square. The bottom two contests need to go Europe’s way if they are to limit the US advantage to four heading into the singles.

A putting contest at the par-3 11th. Allisen Corpuz makes a fine stroke from 30 feet but it doesn’t drop. On the same line Lilia Vu doesn’t learn a lesson regarding the line. Par for the Americans. Charley Hull is up next from 18 feet and she gets another three. Georgia Hall is fourth to go. Can she put Europe two up? She has 12 feet from below the hole. She’s been tentative on the greens all week. Not this time but it slips by on the low side. Hole halved. Europe stays one up.

Oh wow! Another hole out for Team USA. Andrea Lee splashes out of a greenside bunker at 13, it takes two hops and disappears like a ferret down a drainpipe. She and Rose Zhang lead the second match five up with five to play.

We’re deep into the back nine now. Charley Hull has 15 feet for birdie and the hole at 10 and she makes it. There is blue on the board. But USA is closing on double figures with the way the top two matches are going.

Lee (Al)/Khang 2UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (13)
Lee (An)/Zhang 4UP v Grant/Boutier (12)
Ewing/Thompson A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (11)
Corpuz/Vu v Hull/Hall 1UP (11)

“Stacy has all her ducks in a row,” says TV’s Judy Rankin. A wonderful metaphor, that one. Suzann Pettersen would be which animal, I wonder.

Stacy Lewis on this afternoon’s golf: “We’ve had to rally and we have red on the board. This format is hard. We know that no lead is ever safe. We need as many points as we can get for tomorrow.”

Carlota Ciganda has been given “a bad time”. One more and she is “out of the hole”. She even takes her time on the tee at 11. And then stuffs her ball close although it spins back to around 12 feet. She low fives various team mates and caddies – and with meaning although it’s not really anyone’s fault but her own that’s she playing slow.

Lexi Thompson makes birdie from 10 feet at 10. Europe now has two attempts to match her from closer to the hole. First up is Car-Low-Tar Ciganda (as the Americans have it) – and she makes it. The third fourball remains all square. Gritty stuff from the Spaniard who once said: “I love my team. I love Europe. I love Spain. I love the Solheim Cup.”

Back nine strength for the US. TV’s Karen Stupples has just said that the US has won 34 holes on the back nine this week while Europe has won only 15.

Rose Zhang is at it again. She walks in another 12-footer to win the 11th with a birdie that takes her and Andrea Lee four up against Linn Grant and Celine Boutier. The bewildered Swede is on the brink of losing her third match of the week. Another Swede, the more successful Anna Nordqvist, has just putted off the 12th green.

Allison Corpuz and Lilia Vu have won the eighth to go all square with the Hull-Hall combination. Hand taps and smiles all round. Corpuz is easy to like. A mild nature, a shy smile and the sense she can’t quite believe she’s playing the Solheim Cup. Like a competition winner, in fact, but in reality she’s a major championship winner.

Andrea Lee has had a red hot putter this afternoon. She makes birdie from 12 feet on 10 and now Celine Boutier has the chance to match her from a similar distance. But it slips by! She and Rose Zhang are in a strong position.

Lee (Al)/Khang 2UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (11)
Lee (An)/Zhang 3UP v Grant/Boutier (10)
Ewing/Thompson A/D Ciganda/Pedersen (8)
Corpuz/Vu v Hull/Hall 1UP (7)

Anna Nordqvist has holed another long birdie putt, this time from around 40 feet. Meghan Khang cannot quite equal her … but then it drops! Khang goes berserk and Sarah Stirk on TV can be heard pursing her lips like my Aunt Hilda. Marvellous. “Let’s go!” yells the caddie and keeps his shirt on.

Georgia Hall could do with a point this afternoon, by the way. She went 6-3-0 through her first two Cup appearances but is 2-8-2 in her last three including yesterday and this morning.

At the par-four 10th Meghan Khang secures par. Now Anna Nordqvist has 10 feet for birdie – and she walks it in. Alison Lee can match her. She has six feet for her own birdie and to stay three up. The ribbon in her hair wafts in the growing wind. And the putt slips by! Are the Swedes mounting a fight back?

At 7, Georgia Hall has drained a 30 foot birdie putt. Lilia Vu matches it from eight feet. Hall and Charley Hull stay one up.

A lovely little scene on the tee at 9. Stacy Lewis, Rose Zhang and her caddie Ollie Brett discuss strategy. Brett is not only an Englishman, he is also Emily Pedersen’s partner. It’s a tough battle this week, but it’s not war. The state of Virginia would approve.

Rose Zhang is back holing putts. A right-to-lefter from 15 feet sends her and Andrea Lee two up on Linn Grant and Celine Boutier through eight. Those top two matches look good for the USA. Win them and they hit double figures.

I hope no-one is involved in a drinking game in which the word “momentum” prompts any drinking. As always in this match, the word is being bandied around. There’s a kind of manic desire to identify the significant moments. Hull and Hall are giving Europe hope. Momentum?!

Lee (Al)/Khang 3UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (9)
Lee (An)/Zhang 1UP v Grant/Boutier (7)
Ewing/Thompson A/D Ciganda/Pedersen (7)
Corpuz/Vu v Hull/Hall 1UP (6)

The strange rhythms of this format are again revealed – and it has settled into a quiet period. It’s very peculiar how there are frenetic times and then everything settles down for a while. Carlota Ciganda can maybe change that as … her birdie putt at seven drops and the “Ole”s do ring out but still in a little subdued fashion.

Carlota Ciganda likes a twiddle of her club pre-shot. And it works this time, as she hits to about 10 feet on seven. Ally Ewing cannot respond. Ciganda has a great chance to grab equity in the third match out.

With her team in the ascendancy Stacy Lewis has been able to rest her stars. Suzann Pettersen has had to send many of hers back out this afternoon and fatigue could be a factor over the next four hours. Veteran Anna Nordqvist might be feeling it a bit. The top match is not going the way of the Swedes – they are three down and about to hit the turn.

Lee (Al)/Khang 3UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (8)
Lee (An)/Zhang 1UP v Grant/Boutier (7)
Ewing/Thompson 1UP v Ciganda/Pedersen (6)
Corpuz/Vu A/S Hull/Hall (5)

Hello, hello. Linn Grant holes from 30 feet on 7, although only for a half in the second match. Then Carlota Ciganda drains a 45-footer for birdie at six but Lexi Thompson chips in to match her in the third match. Europeans land blows and then have to take one.

Excellent strategy from the Hull-Hall combo! Georgia Hall has the longest birdie putt at 5 but Charley Hull goes first so as to not give opponent Lilia Vu the line. Hull converts so part one of the idea works. Then Vu misses! Last night Suzann Pettersen grumbled that her players were not thinking smartly enough – she’d be pleased by this success. The bottom match is now all square.

Reader Nathan Roberts asks: “What’s with the adverts on the course saying ‘Virginia is for lovers’?” You’re probably asking the wrong man to be honest, Nathan, but I have been asking myself a few questions about those signs. I’m sure it’s not the case, but I can’t help thinking it’s as if we’re to infer that Virginia is a state that turns a blind eye to extra-marital affairs or something. Google explains that the slogan was first coined in 1969. It is, of course, meaningfully ambiguous.

Television points out that the second match out is on the clock. It is behind the first by some way and the third match out is waiting behind them. Sigh, Carlota Ciganda is in that second match. It’s a problem that just never seems to get any better. For those new to golf, “on the clock” means that group is playing too slowly. All four of them will be watched closely and probably three of them will be slightly irked by that monitoring, feeling only the person responsible should be timed. Golf is not very good at playing at pace.

More high jinks in the first match out. Meghan Khang makes birdie at seven from eight feet and starts chest bumping caddies and fellow players, and high fiving the galleries. She and Alison Lee are now two up on the Swedes Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom.

Joe Pearson is pulling no punches! He emails about Laura Davies’ claim that this is the biggest event in women’s sport with the header: “Laura Davies is nuts!” and adds: “Someone tell Laura Davies to take her medicine. If the most important women’s sport event is not the Women’s World Cup, then I don’t know anything.” I think we can grant her some leeway this week, Joe! It’s a giddy scene and easy to get carried away.

It feels a little as if Europe has soaked up a lot of big hits and everything has started to settle down. There’s no more than one hole in any of the four matches. It’s not good, but it’s not as bad as it felt 30 minutes ago.

Lee (Al)/Khang 1UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (6)
Lee (An)/Zhang 1UP v Grant/Boutier (5)
Ewing/Thompson 1UP v Ciganda/Pedersen (4)
Corpuz/Vu A/S Hull/Hall (3)

Lilia Vu can putt. She broke Charley Hull’s heart when defeating her in last year’s AIG Women’s Open and now she drains a 35 foot birdie putt at the third to bring their match level. It was a wonderful effort. Beautiful pace. Perfect line. Over the front of the cup and in.

Better news for Europe: Rose Zhang has missed a tiddler for birdie at five and she and Andrea Lee now lead Celine Boutier (who made her birdie) and Linn Grant by one hole.

Catriona Matthew relates on TV that Laura Davies says the Solheim Cup is the biggest event in women’s sport. Any thoughts?! It seems a slightly giddy call to me.

I’m a big fan of the personable on-course commentator Jim Gallagher. Yesterday he said, “They played well this morning but this afternoon is a different day.” Earlier today he said: “Lexi Thompson is literally a different person to yesterday.” It’s like Jim lives in a different dimension. Wonderful stuff.

Carlota Ciganda polishes off a birdie from eight feet at three and now she and Emily Pedersen are only one down. There is very little response from the galleries, however. The European fans must be elsewhere. “Car-lot-a Ci-gan-da!” is usually a popular chant in such circumstances.

The Americans have played the second pretty, pretty well this afternoon. Alison Lee made an eagle-2 in the top match. Andrea Lee made a birdie-3 next up. Ally Ewing made another birdie-3 in the third game. And then the tide turns! Georgia Hall converts a birdie in the last match and finally Europe has not only won that hole – it is the first hole they have won all afternoon. She and Charley Hull are one up.

A birdie from 15 feet for Anna Nordqvist in the top match at 5. But it’s only good for a half. She and Madelene Sagstrom remain one down.

Another great birdie putt for Ally Ewing at the second, from about 18 feet. Emily Pedersen misses to halve the hole from a third of that distance. Ewing will be desperate for a point. She’s is 0-2-0 this week which means she is a total of 3-10-1 in her Solheim Cup career. She’s a much better golfer than that record suggests. She and Lexi Thompson are two up now. A great start.

The last group halve the first with pars. But it’s not been the best of starts for Europe.

Lee (Al)/Khang 1UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (4)
Lee (An)/Zhang 2UP v Grant/Boutier (2)
Ewing/Thompson 1UP v Ciganda/Pedersen (1)
Corpuz/Vu A/S Hull/Hall (1)